Although pompously titled, Neptune’s Gift is a scholarly study of the history
of common salt by Robert Multhauf (Johns Hopkins University Press, £16.50,
ISBN 0 8018 5469 5). Elegantly weaving the ancient and modern, the technological
and the cultural, this reissue of a 19-year-old classic still makes a good read,
even if the glaring gaps—Africa and most of the Arab world, for
instance—yawn even wider.
More from New Scientist
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Life
New Scientist recommends a brilliant take on the evolution of birds
Culture
Environment
Striking photos show how sands are encroaching on oases in the Sahara
Regulars
Comment
Think you have a good sense of humour? So do most people…
Regulars
Comment
Sci-fi horror film Backrooms is a triumph for its 20-year-old director
Culture
Popular articles
Trending New Scientist articles
1
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
2
Mysterious ‘cold blob’ in the Atlantic suggests the AMOC is weakening
3
Why we should all take quantum physics extremely personally
4
Millions of fossil whale bones found in deep-ocean ‘necropolis’
5
Hundreds of new moons are revealing our solar system's violent history
6
Unpicking endometriosis reveals how it affects more than the pelvis
7
What to read this week: Katrina Manson's terrifying Project Maven
8
What is a ‘normal’ memory slowdown, and when should I worry?
9
A nuclear war between India and Pakistan could destroy the ozone layer
10
Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact site stayed hot for millions of years
